Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one is happy to open their dishwasher and discover it hasn’t emptied properly but, try not to lose it just yet. You may have the means to figure out the error before you have to call a plumber or purchase a new dishwasher.

Standing water in your machine can be caused by a number of things a number of which can be simple to rectify. So, before you call a dishwasher repair service here is a list of probable issues you may identify yourself. A few of which are not even caused by the dishwasher itself.

Check the dishwasher wasn’t interrupted mid-cycle

If you’re fortunate the fact your dishwasher hasn’t drained may not be a fault at all. Rather, the program could have been stopped mid-way.

The program may have been stopped mid-way for multiple of reasons. Kids pushing controls, accidentally pushing against the controls, a power cut or opening the machine mid-program could all prevent the program from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

If you think this may be the circumstance, or you think it may be a good idea to check run the machine again on a short cycle.

A proportion machines could have an empty capacity so it’s well worth consulting your instruction manual or doing a quick internet search to check.

Examine the disposal

If you have a disposal inspect this before you move on as an obstructed disposal will stop your dishwasher from emptying. Turn on the waste disposal with lots of water to make sure there are no obstructions.

If you do uncover an issue drain un-blocker or a plunger may be employed to unclog the obstruction and this might solve the problem.

Check the sink for blockages

If you kitchen sink is emptying inefficiently this may indicate an issue with the drains rather than an issue with your dishwasher.

If the kitchen sink is draining inefficiently you can attempt putting a little bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the drain, letting it sit for a while, then flushing it away with boiling water.

A plunger may also be used to try and remove the blockage.

This might be all you need to do to permit your machine to drain so start a quick program at this point. If this hasn’t solved the problem you could manually get rid of the water using a bowl and a towel and have a look at the next few possible issues.

Make certain to disconnect the machine to stay safe.

If while you are carrying out one of these examinations you think you have detected and solved the problem there is no need to continue to the next step. Just run an empty program to check your machine is fixed.

Inspect and clean the filters

Any number of things could block the filters including corn kernels, paper from jars, plastic covers and broken glass. Clear plastic lids may also be difficult to spot if you aren’t looking for it.

Take out the filter then scrub it thoroughly before putting it back in place. Not all machines have their filter in the same location so you may need to refer to the manual for this.

Is the waste hose blocked?

The next place to examine is the drain hose. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose could all prevent your machine from draining.

Depending on the location of the waste hose (normally the corrugated one) you might be able to inspect it by lifting away the kick plate or you could be required to move the machine out from under the counter.

Have a look at the pipe first to see if it has been squashed or kinked. You may manage fix these issues by hand which should deal with the issue, however, be aware that when this has happened it is much more likely to happen again so you might wish to purchase a replacement hose.

If you are unable to find any obvious kinks or obstructions you can remove the waste water pipe from the pump and blow through it to figure out if there are any blockages. Make sure you put down newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as even if you have emptied the machine there could still be dirty water in the pipe.

If you can’t blow through the waste hose this might be the issue.

Remove the hose at the sink end and then give it a thorough flush through to clear the blockage. If you can’t remove the obstruction or the waste hose is split or damaged invest in a brand-new one. If you could get rid of the blockage then put the hose back and start a short program to find out if you have repaired the error.

You may also check where the pipe connects under your sink. This is a likely place for debris to build up so if you happen to remove the hose give this point a good clean as well.

Inspect the drain valve

You could manually examine the drain valve to make sure it hasn’t seized. The drain valve will generally be located in the bottom of the machine on the valve bracket. Consult your manual if you can’t see it.

Depressing the valve or giving it a wiggle will likely be adequate to tell you if it’s seized. If you can see anything stopping it from moving carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this might be when you should call a repair person unless you are happy in ordering and replacing the valve yourself.

Check your pump is not broken

Your appliance pump makes use of impellers that can be blocked by broken china or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t broken by removing the cover and making sure the impellers can be easily rotated.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s on

If it is making funny noises your dishwasher pump or motor may be broken and need to be repaired.

Call a plumber

If none of the above checks has solved the error, or you suspect the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it could be time to call for help.

At least having tried to investigate what is wrong you have prevented having to pay a big call-out fee for a blocked drain.